Intersection of Condensed Matter Physics, EE and Technology

[YAHA]

Greetings!

I am currently trying to focus my research interests before I begin applying to grad schools this coming fall. When it comes to Physics, I really enjoy Condensed Matter and everything related to it (say, Thermal Physics, Statistical Physics etc).

I also took an Electronics course which was an absolute blast! I loved solving real problems and producing final products that worked! This experience made me want to shift slightly more towards applications, electronic devices, etc.

What areas do you think will allow me to fulfill both the passion for fundamental physics and creative desire to produce tangible things? I am basically asking for some advice and suggestions for some research areas and fields I could look into before this fall.

Much appreciated!

 

[davidyanni10]

Materials science engineering. Look into it :)

 

[Julio R]

I read a post about accelerator physics, and it seems really promising.

 

[carlgrace]

Greetings!

I am currently trying to focus my research interests before I begin applying to grad schools this coming fall. When it comes to Physics, I really enjoy Condensed Matter and everything related to it (say, Thermal Physics, Statistical Physics etc).

I also took an Electronics course which was an absolute blast! I loved solving real problems and producing final products that worked! This experience made me want to shift slightly more towards applications, electronic devices, etc.

What areas do you think will allow me to fulfill both the passion for fundamental physics and creative desire to produce tangible things? I am basically asking for some advice and suggestions for some research areas and fields I could look into before this fall.

Much appreciated!

You could do research in semiconductor devices. Sounds perfect for your interest. UCSB has a really strong program in compound semiconductor physics and devices and lots of schools do some work on devices. It's fascinating stuff.

 

[YAHA]

You could do research in semiconductor devices. Sounds perfect for your interest. UCSB has a really strong program in compound semiconductor physics and devices and lots of schools do some work on devices. It's fascinating stuff.

Very cool! I will surely take a look. Do you know which department that program is under? EE or applied Physics?
Also, since I am not well versed in the field, do you know whether semiconductors are about to be displaced by a better technology (say, the non-existent spin transistor) or are they here to stay?

 

[carlgrace]

It's under the EE department. One of the professors (Kroemer) got the Nobel Prize a few years ago for the invention of the compound semiconductor heterostructure. I took QM from him... it was very hard.

I would be highly, highly surprised if semiconductors went away in our lifetimes. A lot of potential new technologies use or can be used with semiconductors. And they are just so darned interesting!